Needle loom



March 24, 1931. W. MERRlCK 1,797,962

NEEDLE LOOM Filed Feb. 28, 1930 '7 SheeJCS-Shee l March 24, 1931'. F. W. MERRICK NEEDLE LOOM Filed Feb. 28, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 24, 1931. F. w. MERRICK 7`7962 NEEDLE LOOM Filed Feb. 28, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY March 24, 1931.

F, W. MERRICK NEEDLE LoM Filed Feb. 28, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet March 24, 1931. F. w. MERRICK 1,797,962

NEEDLE LOOM Filed Feb. 28, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 A TTORNEY Mach 24, 1931. F. W. MER-RICK NEEDLE LOOM Filed Feb. 28, 1930 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 A TTRNEY March 24, 1931. w. MERRICK NEEDLE BOOM 7A sheets-sheet 7 Filed Feb. 28. 195o ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT YOFFICE FRANK W. MERRICK, OF DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR` TO WONDER WEAVE, IN C., OF BOSTON,'MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS NEEDLE Loom Application filed February 28, 1930. Serial No. 432,237.

This invention relates to so-called needle looms of the type set forth, for example. in the applications of W. S. Wells Serial Nos. 310,160, 310,161 and 310,162, and it consists in improvements in such looms whereby greater efiiciency and improved product have been attained, less skill and attention are required on the partof the attendant, and the loom may be operated at considerably higher speed than even the Wells loom is capable. Briefly stated these improvements involve continuously maintaining the filling in a loop on the device (or feeder or looper) whereby the shots of filling are established as loops in the fabric, as distinguished from the filling being looped on each Working thrust of said device and substantially straightening out on each return thrust thereof; supplying the thread (termed the binder thread) which is to assume extending-through relation to each filling loop in the fabric from a carrier which is stationary and so supported that around it and' said thread the feeder establishes the filling loops after the manner of lassoing; controlling the filling in such a manner that for certain purposes to be pointed out there may be alternate periods of slack and tension therein during a back-and-forth movement of the feeder; supporting the filling at the side of the fabric-and-warp sheet at which the feeder enters the sheds and also near the fell of the fabric, whereby the edge of the fabric at that side will be evenly formed; and causing the reed and the feeder so to cooperate with each other as not to interfere and yet permit these (reciprocating) ele-l, ments to function at very high speed and smoothly as well as efficiently in their respective duties in the forming of the fabric.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a right side elevation of the front portion of the loom;

Fig. 2 is a plan of what is shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a right side elevation "of the rear portion of the loom;

Figs. 5 and 6 are plan views illustrating the filling manipulating mechanism and reed in two relatively opposite positions;

Figs. 7 and 8 are plan and side views of apart of this mechanism and illustrate particularly the means for supporting the near edge of the fabric-and-warp sheet;

Fig. 9 shows a modified form of said means;

Figs. l0 and 11 are side elevations 90 degrees apart of the binder-thread carrier and its supporting mechanism; and

Fig. l2 shows that part of the driving mechanism by which the reed is operated.

At the front of the frame 1 is the take-up mechanism comprising the guide roller 2, sand roller 3 and pressure-roller 4, th'e first two being journaled inthe frame and the ylast in' an arm 5 pivoted to the frame; the sand roller is driven through gearing 6 by a ratchet wheel 7 in turn driven by a pawl 8 pivted on a crank 9 which is oscillated through a rod 10 from a crank 11a on the rock-shaft 11, 12 being a holding pawl for the ratchet. Any other take-up means may be employed. The fabric A extends over roller 2, under roller 3 and overroller 4 as shown in Fig. l.

The warp B of the fabric is delivered from a warp-beam or drum 13 and the rotation of this beam to provide the desired tension may be resisted in any way, as that shown,.and as to which it is sufiicient herein to say that 13a is a. brake-Wheel geared with the beam, 13b a brake normally active thereon, 13e a lever having a roller between two other rollers 13d and actuable by the warp under the influence of the take-up to produce through a link 13e releasing movements of the brake. A yoke 14, having two fixed guides 14a and 14?) under and over which, respectively, the fabric extends to the take-up and by which it is supported and steadied, is secured to an.

upright la of the frame. Sheds are formed in the warp B by any shedding mechanism,.

vertically moving harness shafts being shown at l5 and arranged to slide in guides 16 of the frame, being reciprocated from a,rocker 17 through links 18.

The filling, as indicated, is'placed in each shed formed in the warp in a loop which is caught and held at the far side of the warpand-fabric sheet by at binder thread,fwhere upon a reed beats up this loop to the fell 0f the fabric; there is also means to support the sheet at the near edge thereof against distortion, as by the pulls exerted by the successive filling loops, so that the corresponding edge of the fabric will be evenly formed. The instrumentalities concerned in these operations Will now be described:

Filling mm'pwZtz'on.-The thread of filling C, coming from any supply, passes through suitable guide-eyes 19Vunder control of a tensiondevice comprising two disks 20 one of which may be held pressed against the other by a spring 21 subject to adjustment by means of nut 22; it then passes through another guide 23 capable of various adjustments in a horizontal plane and held to the frame by 'a screw 24. The filling is next engaged with the carrier therefor as follows: This' carrier or feeder com rises a vertical shaft 25 oscillating in the frame, a feederproper here consisting of a radial arm 26 fixed in the upper end of the shaft and the curved extension 27 thereof (the feederproper having guides for the filling at 27a, 275 and 270) and an arm 28 having a guide 28a and which is held for longitudinal adjustment by a set screw 29a in a collar 29 secured itself for adjustment around the shaft by a set screw 295. The plane of the curved part 27 of the feeder is the horizontal plane of the fell of the fabric and since the fabric is inclined between 14a and 145 (Fig. 1) the feeder clears the fabric as it oscillates around its axis at 25. Shaft 25 of the feeder has a bevel pinion 30 meshing with a bevel segment gear 31 which is fixed on shaft 11. From guide 23 the filling extends in engagement with the guides 28a, 27a, 275 and 270, in the order named, to the fabric. In reference to this part of my invention it will be noted that the filling is continuously maintained by means of the feeder alone in a loop thereon, thus distinguishing from the usual construction and arrangement in which a. loop is freshly formed on every .shed-formation Ibecause of its development in that case by the feeder on 'its forward stroke in cooperation with fixed guides between which the leading end of the feeder engages the filling, Further that I provide for the filling coming -into engagement with the feeder, as it reeves from the supply, at a point (receiving guide 28a) which is nearer the axis of motion of the feeder than the point (delivery guide 27 c) where the filling, in reeving, departs from the feeder; that is to say, I take advantage of the fact that the nearer the filling-receiving point is to the axis of the feeder the less will be the pull-off from the supply incident to the motion of the feeder alone as distinguished from the combination of such motion'with the consumption of the filling by the fabric. In point of fact, the receiving guide is placed, relatively to the delivery guide, near said axls.

Some slack, however, is desirable for certain purposes, depending of course on the character of the fabric being Woven; for in-` stance, it is useful when the feeder is performing its forward movement, so that until the end thereof there shall not be a transverse tug on the fabric-and-warp sheet likely to set the filling too tightly or `deform the near edge of the fabric, and it is useful on the back stroke of the feeder to ease the filling past the binder-thread carrier which, as `will appear, is held stationary. The extent of slack for these purposes depends on the adjustinent of guide 23 or arm 28 relatively to each other lengthwise of the path of movement of the feeder and also of arm 28 longitudinally of itself, and according to the adjustment thus effected guide 28a may be made to cross a straight line connecting guide 23 and said axis at a certain point therein or sooner or later in the stroke of the feeder in each direction or have its radius of movement varied, with consequent production of slack on each such stroke until said line is reached, and tension thereafter.

A novel feature of my invention is that it contemplates means to introduce filling into the sheds formed in the warp-portion of the sheet A-B with a portion of such filling (i. e., here between 270 and the fabric) stretched and moving transversely of its length including a filling feeder having said portion engaged and moving therewith, said feeder being movable from one side of the sheet through each shed as it is formed and back, in combination with a binder-thread carrier standing in the path of movement of said port-ion and having the binder-thread extending therefrom to the fabric, the mechay nism having means to divert said portion around the carrier. Further, wherein certain of the claims I characterize the carrier connected to oscillate so that as each has performed its active or forward (in tllepcase of the reed, its beating-up) stroke the other has receded. When the reed is retracted its position is such that the (advanced) feeder overlies it, and yet the ends of its dents then project through the Warp, heilig bent off for that purpose (Fig. 1).

Edge-supportf-To insure that the near edge ofthe fabric shall be held against deformation under any tug of the filling as the feeder performs its forward stroke a temple pin is entered'into the sheet near said edge and also near the fell of the fabric, being intermittently retracted principally so as not to interfere with its advance in response to the 1binder thread carrier 1s here take-up mechanism and also toclear the reed. uprights .10 of frame l is pivoted a lever structure 34 having one arm 34a thereof equipped with an tip-standing temple pin 35 and the other 345 held bearing against a cam 36 on the reed shaft 33 by a spring 37. In a modified form of this mechanism (Fig. 9) on a bearing pin 38, which may project from the frame, is fulcrumed a lever 39 having the temple pin 40 on one arm thereof and its other arm curved and adapted to be engaged on its convex side by a stud 41 on the reed; a spring 42 normally holds the lever positioned so that the temple pin is raised, the reed when it beats up causing movement of the lever to retract or depress the pin.

In addition to this mechanism (or it may be instead of the same, depending on the nature of t-he fabric being woven and other conditions) a warp thread or threads A formingv a minor part of the warp at the said near edge may be segregated from the rest and passed through a guide 41a and then through one of the harness shafts 15 (so as to partake of shedding with the other warp threads) from its individual supply 416, as a spool, subject, however, to its own adjustable tension means at 410. This is shown only in Figs. 2 and 4. The incidental diversion of this warp thread, taken with the adjustability of the tension means 41e, makes it possible for this thread to be made to support the near edge of the fabric against the tug of the filling as the feeder performs its forward stroke, so 'that a nicely formed edge may be produced. j

Binder thread suppZy.-As indicated, at the far side 'of the fabric and warp sheet the filling loops formed are bound in by a binder thread D. This I accomplish by a binder thread shuttle or carrier 43 which is stationary, thus eliminating pulls on the binder thread and the distortion of the far edge of the fabric as a consequence thereof. The a part tapering in plan at both ends and having its right hand end over-beveled and its left hand end underbeveled. It stands in the loom (Fig. 2) within the arc in which the portion 27 of the Y feeder moves and with its longitudinal axis in a chord of such arc and oblique to the length of the fabric-and-warp sheet and at the far side thereof. The shuttle or carrier, per se, is the subject of my application Serial No. 430,715, but for the present purposes it will be suiiicient to say that it containsa bobbin 43m of the binder thread revoluble in the shuttle subject to the resista-nce of a brake l433/ which in turn is releasable by the tautening of the thread D engaged therewith. The,

shuttle, thus having provision for tensioning the thread, has no take-up therefor, the same being unnecessary because the shuttle remains stationary at all times. When the feeder advances, the stretch of the Vfilling extending from it and between guide 27 c and the fabric l formed in said main is diverted or shunted over it and when the .feeder recedes said stretch is diverted under groove 43a and a bottom hole 436 and at the other end such a groove and hole'in the bottom and top, respectively. lOn studs 44 (Fig. 3) projecting from the frame l are fulcrumed two pairs of jaws 45, 46, the two jaws (upper and lower) in each pair being geared at 47 (Fig. 11) to move together toward or from each other and one jaw having a tongue 45a to enter carrier groove 43a and the other screw-pin 46a to enter hole 436.

The two lower jaws are urged downward against push-rods 47 (so as to tend to open each jaw pair) by a spring 48 connecting a yoke 49 bridging the lower jaws with the frame 1, said push-rods resting on a pair of levers 50 each of which rides on one of two cams 5l which as they rotate alternately lift the push-rods and thus alternately close the pairs of jaws. Consequently the carrier is held at all times stationary. The action of the cams is such that as the feeder approaches and recedes from either limit of its motion the clamping pressure of the jaw pair adjoining such limit relaxes jaw pair clears the carrier), allowing the stretch of the filling between feeder guide 270 and the fabric to clear that pair (in the example, without contact therewith) in both directions, while the other jaw pair is closed, holding the carrier stationary. Thus the filling v I claim broadly in combination therewith means (as the feeder), movable through the sheds formed and from the other side of the sheet and back` for establishing filling in such sheds doubled around the binder-thread, whether the doubling is done by lassoing (i. e., with a pre-formed loop) or otherwise. 1

The binder thread is woven in parallel with the warp and becomesv inveflect the edge'warpthread at this side.v (It is extended around-a guide formed by a hook 52 extending from a suitable holder 5,3 on the frame.) Since the carrier A43 is stationary and hence passive it may be treated as in eHect a let-oliil means for that (minor) part stituted by thread D and which stands diverted from the main part'of the warp to permit the filling to be established in extendingaround relation to it each time a v4'shed is part of the warp.

Dri/ving mecham'sm.-The shaft 54 .on whlch the cams 51 are affixed is, the main (in the example, such i of the warp which is conshaft, which may be driven in any way as through a pulley 54a thereon. From gearing 55 rotated by this shaft the rocker 17 is oscillated so as to act-nate the shedding means, to wit, through a link 56 connecting a crank 17a of the rocker with a member of said gearing. Rock-shaft 11, from which the feeder and also the take-up mechanism are actuated,

is rocked from a rocker 57 (journaled coax- 10 ially with rocker 17) through a link 58 connecting this rocker with crank 11a, said rocker being oscillated from a face-plate 51a (fixed on shaft 54) by a link 59. The motion of the reed for beating-up, and also to pro- 15 duce actuation of the temple-pin 35, is obtained as follows: On said face-plate 51a is fixed a crank 60 to which at 60a is connected a pitman 61 whose free end is pivoted at 62 to a link 63 pivoted to the frame at 63a and which thus confines the pitman to thrustwise Y tion ofA 60a (i. e., in which 60a passes here' movement. Pivoted on pivot 62 and to an arm 32a forming part ofthe reed structure is a link 64. The resultant motion is such that for nearly one-h alf of the cycle of mounder axis 54) the reed structure stands substantially at dwell, being then retracted andthe link 64 swinging idly about pivot 62. The

pitman may be confined to move thrustwise `30 otherwise than by the link 63. The dwell affords the feeder' more time than it would otherwise have to enter the shed and properly cooperate with the binder-thread carrier and then return, all without interference with the reed, and at the same time the speeding up of the reed whichensues is desirable in order that the filling may be beaten up with the proper force. What is novel in this part of my invention is ythe means whereby the reed 4o is here actuated so as to obtain the dwell, it

not being novel so far as I am concerned to ,bring the reed to a dwell nor to reciprocate the reed and feeder together so that the forward and back movements of thefeeder shall respectively begin and end when the back and forward movements of the reed begin and end.

I claim:

l. Mechanism for forming in the warp 53 lsheds produced in a fabric-and-warp sheet Mechanism for forming in the Warpv sheds produced in a fabric-and-warp sheet bound-in loops of filling including a filling feeder movable forwardefrom one side of the sheet through each shed as it is formed' and back and having means continuously/'maintaining the filling in a loop on the feeder and in engagement with which the filling reeves,l

and a binder-thread carrier arranged in the path of a portion of such loop an having the binder-thread extending therefrom to the fabric, said mechanism having means to divert said portion around the carrier.

3. Mechanism for'forming in the warp sheds produced in a fabric-and-warp sheet bound-in loops of filling including a filling feeder movable forward from one side of the sheet through each shed as it is formed and back and having means continuously maintaining the filling in a loop on the feeder and in engagement with which the filling reeves, and a binder-thread carrier arranged in the path of a portion of such loop and having the binder-thread extending therefrom to the fabric, said carrier having means to divert said portion around the carrier..

4. Means for -introducing into the warp sheds produced in a fabric-and-warp sheet a succession of filling loops including a filling feeder pivotally movable forward and back to introduce the loops and having filling receiving and discharge guiding means through which the filling reeves and the former of which is nearer to the pivoting axis of the feeder than lthe latter.

5. Means for introducing into the warp sheds produced in a fabric-and-warp sheet a succession of filling loops including a filling feeder pivotally movable forward and back to introduce thel loops and having filling receiving and discharge guiding means through which the lling reeves and the former of which, relatively to the latter, is near the pivoting axis of the feeder.

6. In combination, with supporting means in which a fabric-and-warp sheet is supported for weaving, a filling feeder means movable forward and back into and from sheds as they are formed in the Warp, and guides on the supporting and feeder means in engagement with which the filling reeves from its supply, one such guide being adjustable on one of said means relatively to the other guide substantially lengthwise of the path of movement of the feeder means.

7. In combination, with su porting means in which a fabric-and-warp s eet is supported for weaving, a filling feeder means movable forward and back into and from sheds as they are formed in the warp, and guides on the supporting and feeder means through which the filling reeves from its supply'in the move-ment of the feeder in each direction, one such guide being adjustable on one of said means relatively to the other guide substantially lengthwise of the path of movement of the feeder means.

8. In combination, with supporting-means in which a fabric-and-warp sheet is supported for weaving, a filling feeder means movable forward and back into and from sheds justable on thefeeder as they are formed in the warp, and a guide including deviceon the feeder means in engagement with the guideiof whichthe filling reeves from its supply, said -device being admeans substantially lengthwise of the pathfof movement of lthe latter.

9. Means for introducing into the warpv sheds produced in afabric-and-warp sheet a succession of filling loops including a filling feeder pivotally movable forward and back to introduce the loops and having filling receiving and discharge guiding means through which the filling reeves and the former of which is adjustable toward and from the pivoting axis of the feeder.

10. Means for introducing into the warp sheds produced in a stretched fabric-andwarp sheet a succession of filling loops including a filling feeder pivotally movable forward and back to introduce the loops and having filling receiving and discharge guiding means through which the filling reeves and the former of which is adjustable around the pivoting axis of'the feeder.

11. Mechanism for forming in the warp sheds produced in a fabric-and-warp sheet bound-in loops of filling including a filling feeder movable forward from one side of the sheet through each shed as it is formed and back and having means continuously maintaining the filling in a loop on the feeder and in engagement with which the filling reeves, and a binder-thread carrier standing in the path of movement of a portion o f said loop with the feeder and having its own binderthread supply and the binder-thread extending from the carrier to the fabric, said mechanism having means to divert said portion around the carrier.

12. Mechanism for forming in the warp sheds produced in a fabric-and-warp sheet bound-in loops of filling including a filling feeder movable forward from one side of the sheet through each shed as it is formed and back and having means continuously maintaining the filling in a loop on the feeder and in engagement with which t-he filling reeves, and a binder-thread carrier standing in the path of movement of a portion of said loop with the feeder and having its own binderthread supply and the ing from the carrier to the fabric, said carrler having means to divert said portion around the carrier.

13. Mechanism for establishing bound-in filling loops in a fabric-and-warp sheet including a filling ffeeder movable through warp sheds formed in the sheetand thus adapted to pass therethrough a stretch of the filllng extending from the feeder to the fabric, a binder-thread-carrier arranged laterally of the fabric and in the'path of said stretch with the feeder and havin its own 5 binder-thread supply and the er-thread extending from the carrier to the fabric, separate releasable means coactive to simultaneously hold the carrier, and means, while said stretch moves with the feeder, to cause one holding means to release and the other at the same time to hold the carrier, and then vice versa.

14'. Mechanism for establishing bound-in filling loops in a fabric-and-warp sheet including a filling feeder movable forward and back through warp sheds formed in the sheet and thus adapted to pass therethrough a stretch of the filling extending from the feeder to the fabric, a binder-thread carrier' arranged laterally of the fabric and in the path of saidstretch with the feeder and having its own binder-thread supply and the binder-thread extending from the carrier to 'the fabric, separate releasable means coactive to simultaneously hold the carrier, and means, while said stretch moves with the feeder in eachA direction, to cause one holding means to release and the other at the same time to hold the carrier, and then vice-versa.

l5. In combination, with supporting means in which a fabric-and-warp sheet is supported for weaving, means to form sheds in the warp, a binder-thread carrier held in the'supporting. means at one side ofthe sheet and substantially immovable by the filling and having its binder thread extending to and connected withthe sheet and means, movable through the sheds formed and from the other side of the sheet and backto said side, for establishing filling in such "sheds doubled around the `binder thread. 4 l

16. In combination, with supporting means in which a fabric-and-warp'sheet is supported for weaving, means to form sheds in the warp, a binder-thread carrier held in the supporting means at one side of the sheet and substantially immovable bythe lling and having its binder thread extending to andl connected with the sheet and means to enter filling `from the other side of the -sheet into the sheds formed and cause such filling to lasso the carrier and its binder thread.

17. Mechanism for establishing bound-infilling. loo cluding'a lling feeder movable forward and back through warpsheds formed in the sheet and thus adapted to pass therethrough a stretch of the filling extendingv from the feeder to thev fabric, a binder-thread,carrierA arranged laterally of the fabric'and inthe path of said stretch with the feeder and having its own binder-thread supply and the binder-thread extending from -the carrier to the fabric, and means coactive to simultaneously hold the carrier, said means being movable to cleai` the carrier and permit passage of said stretchbetween the carrier and 'said holding means.

18. Mechanism for establishing bound-inl filling loops in a fabric-and-'warp sheet ins in a fabric-and-warp sheet ineluding a filling feeder movable forward and back through warp sheds formed in the sheet and thus adapted to pass therethrough a stretch of the filling vextending from the feeder to the fabric, a binder-thread carrier arranged laterally of the fabric and in the path of said stretch with the feeder'and having its own binder-thread supply and the binder thread extending from the carrier to the fabric, separate means coactive to simultaneously hold the carrier, and means, while said stretch is moving with the feeder t0 and from one limit, to cause one'holding means to release and the other at the same time'to hold the carrier and, while said stretch is moving with the feeder to and from the other limit, vice versa. y

19.' Mechanism for establishing bound-in filling loops in a fabric-and-warp sheet including a filling feeder movable forward and back through Warp sheds formed in the sheet and thus ada ted to pass therethrough a stretch of the lingextending from the feeder to the fabric, a binder-thread carrier arranged between the fabric and the path of the feeder and having its own binder-thread supply and the binder thread extending from the carrier to the fabric, separate pairs of coactive clamping members for the carrier and means,- while said stretch is moving with the feeder past said members,- to successively move said members alternately into clamping and relaxing relation to the carrier.

nected to one member in each pair, to move one pair from and the other to the carrier while said stretch is moving with the feederto and from one limit and vice versa while said stretch is moving with the feeder to ani' vso 20. Mechanism for establishing bound-in filling loops in a fabric-and-warp sheet in'- cluding a filling feeder movable forward and back through Warp sheds formed in the sheet and thus adapted to pass therethrough a stretch of the filling extending from the feeder to the fabric, a binder-thread carrier` arranged between t-he fabric and the path of the feeder and having its own binder-thread supply and the binder thread extending from the carrier to the fabric, separate pairs of coactive clamping members for the carrier and means, While said stretch is moving with the feeder to and from one limit, to cause one pair of said members to clamp and the other to relax its clamping pressure on the carrier and,

while said stretch `is moving with the feeder to and from the other limit, vice versa.

21. `Mechanism for establishing bound-in filling loo s in a fabric-and-warp sheet including a lling feeder movable forward and back through Warp sheds formed in the sheet and thus adapted to. pass therethrough a stretch of the filling extending from the feeder to the fabric, abinder-thread carrier arranged between the fabric and the path of the feeder and having its own binder-thread supply and the binder thread extending from the earner to the fabric, pairs of holding members for the carrier having the members 1n each air intergeared to move together from an toward the carrier, and means, conlllr 

